The Liverpool manager sympathised with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who said it was a "cruel" way to lose after his side thought they had scored a late winner against Tottenham, only for Raheem Sterling's strike to be disallowed due to an offside in the buildup.

Klopp praised Tottenham for their achievement in reaching the semifinals, but said he was not sure if the decision would influence Manchester City or his own team's pursuit of the Premier League title.

"I've no idea, but it was unbelievable, eh? Seeing that, I just really felt for them," Klopp said. "That's how it is. Everybody thought the ball was in and the whole stadium is celebrating.

"I know some people say without VAR it's a clear goal but it was offside in that moment, nobody really doubts that, but it's tough to take, I'm 100 percent sure.

"Big compliments to Tottenham. To score three at City, of course they deserve it. Whether it has an influence on the league, I have no idea. We will see that."

Liverpool start the weekend one point clear at the top as they travel to Cardiff on Sunday aiming to heap further pressure on City in the title race.

Guardiola's side have control of their own destiny with a game in hand on their title rivals, but they face a crucial and challenging week. They face Tottenham on Saturday, just days after their ferocious Champions League battle, and then have a Manchester derby next Wednesday.

Anything other than back-to-back wins for Man City will open the door for Liverpool, who could cement the top spot against already-relegated Huddersfield next Friday. As the season draws to a close, Klopp said his players would not succumb to tiredness in the run-in.

"We do what we can to train in exactly the right way," he said. "If you go for a big goal, you don't feel any tiredness.

"It's like a marathon. If you are 40 kilometres in and out in front, you don't think about the 40, only what's to come.

Salah has returned to form with vital goals against Chelsea and Southampton in Liverpool's last two Premier League games, to the delight of Klopp, who described Salah as a "role model in so many different things."

"It's really, really nice to have him and Sadio [Mane] as well," Klopp added.

"Both are Muslims and live that as well in a world where these things are very often discussed in a dangerous manner or way, as in 'they are like this' or 'they are like that.'

"We know it's not true but it's nice to have someone around full of love.

"He is doing what he is doing around his religion in the middle of the dressing room and is sensational around all the boys."